148/365 - It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas!

A neighbor's house.
And just for fun, since the fog's rolled in, my eerie looking street:

147/365 - SIGNS

FINALLY, I have some things up on the walls (since they've been repainted with a special type of plaster paint, and no, I've never used a drill before, so the drapery guy came round and helped/taught me how to put things up properly (in the olden days I'd take a hammer and nail and hope for the best; no longer!)
This is one of my favorite pieces, that sadly looks like it may need replacing - the chips at the bottom are from 'normal' wear and tear, but the crack in the upper right is thanks to the international movers :(.
It's one of my favorite pieces, as I acquired it on a trip in New England several years ago and I first learned about the pineapple as a symbol and it's meaning, and I love the idea.
I got this tile at one of the "Newport Mansions" in Rhode Island - I can't remember which one.

146/365

Had an extremely lazy day aside from helping clean up and then going to see Australia with mom and dad.

145/365 - HAPPY THANKSGIVING

My contribution.

144/365 - SIGNS

An hour getting to the hair stylist, nearly 2 to get home! (usually 45 min. each way).
Took this as I was leaving her house (she does hair out of her house), as I felt my day was indeed, already at an end, as most of it would be taken up by traffic. Sadly, I was right.

143/365 - SIGNS...

...that a storm's a comin'!

142/365 - SIGNS

Soooo nice to have good healthcare again!!!

141/365 more Happiness... or Hughness... or Hughpiness.

Oh, such happiness.

I was at the movies all day - Milk and Quantum Solace.  BOTH are great!

140/365

Just trying to get home...  not happy.

139/365 - Happiness?

Walking around my old university (UC Irvine), I came across a sculpture garden; thought I'd gotten lucky in finding a statue of the goddess of Happiness:
But no, she's the goddess of longevity.
But I guess youth, beauty and health can certainly make one happy!

"Ma Gu, the goddess of longevity in ancient Chinese tradition, always appeared as a young and beautiful maid of eighteen. According to the legend, Ma Gu lived tens of thousands of years, achieving longevity by picking divine herbs from a verdant forest and brewing wine with them. Legend also has it whomever tasted a cup of Ma Gu's wine would be eternally young, beautiful and healthy.

According to legend, MaGu lives forever on clouds. Winter Blooming Dergenia, with a soft cloudlike texture and form have been planted around the statue."

More pics of the garden:


This guy was my favorite.

Looking past the sculpture garden out to Aldrich Park, which is in the very center of the campus.

138/365 - THEME - HAPPINESS

Mom's BirthdayMaking a wish before blowing out the candles.Enjoying good company (with one of her best friends, Rita)

137/365 - THEME - HAPPINESS

...to see the leaves changing!
Who said Southern California doesn't have seasons? ;)

136/365

A laaaaaadybug kept me company in the garden for quite some time today. Doesn't that bring good luck? I certainly hope so! She/he? crawled around on my glove for a long while before I placed him/her on a branch so as not to get bounced around by me!I ran in to get the camera, and it was still there; I've never seen them hang around for so long!

135/365

This creature was walking so carefully and slowly across the flower; I couldn't tell if he was trying not to be seen, or his feet hurt. He was actually quite graceful.

but what is it??

134/365 - 7 DEADLY SINS - WRATH

...of Mother Nature.
The sky today, with fires burning in Yorba Linda (maybe 30 miles away?), and people evacuating Anaheim Hills (about 20 miles away), the air has turned a greyish, fiery suppressive orange, and there has been ash falling from the sky for hours now.

I find it very unsettling, and sad for all those who have lost and are losing their homes.

133/365 - DEMOCRAT MUCH?

(I do not recommend clicking to enlarge this particular shot; I tried 3-4 times to get the right exposure, and as it was in low light, it was consistently blurry and noisy as I don't have a tripod, so it's pretty crap really. PLUS... it's not only on some person's front yard and therefore I might look weird taking several photos, but also across the street from the school where I teach... so I didn't want to look terribly odd... but of course HAD to get that shot!

132/365

The full moon.

A time to LET GO of negative or old ideas/habits that don't help. Something I've been very much in need of; particularly this week!

131/365 - 7 DEADLY SINS - ENVY (& Gluttony)

***Possible spoilers for those of you outside the U.S. waiting for Cycle 11 of ANTM***

Undecided as to whether I'd prefer to be the model, getting made up for a shoot,
or the photographer, controlling the shoot and creating a gorgeous image with a bitchen piece of equipment.
But yes, I envy them all.

And because I'm posting this after the fact and have yet to find a decent photo of GLUTTONY, I'll use this one:... in which Marjorie, up until now my favorite, imbibed far too much one night, and only by the grace of her housemates was saved from embarrassment... but alas, not elimination.
Au revoir, Marjorie, bonne chance!

130/365 - 7 Deadly Sins - SLOTH

Pretty much sums up my attitude of late. Forgot it was a SIN!

129/365 - 7 Deadly Sins - GREED

These are but four of the many shops I have to pass by when going to the Apple Store for training (not to mention the temptations IN the Apple Store itself!)

7 DEADLY SINS theme - LUST

... and this one doesn't count (I didn't take it; I forgot to take photos of him on the show; my brain was jelly), but of course I HAD to post it, as today's Oprah (which I rarely watch!) just happened to be all about the upcoming film, AUSTRALIA, starring Nicole Kidman, and ...

Perfect Man.

128/365

Heard some glorious music today, particularly "La Noche de los Mayas", by Revueltas (you can listen to a piece of it HERE... give it a couple minutes for the rhythm section, that's the amazing part!).  I've never seen a conductor bounce up and down to the rhythms, getting the musicians to do MORE!  LOUDER! BIGGER!

And to watch someone in an orchestra 'play' a Conch Shell... it was really fantastic.

These are placed all around the Concert Hall; I think it's a lovely idea.

PROGRAM:
Copland: Appalachian Spring Suite
Britten: Violin Concerto (with Midori, violin)
Revueltas: La noche de los mayas

(interesting - listening to it now, it's not quite as interesting as it was seeing it performed live.  Perhaps obvious, but quite clear to me now!)

127/365 - CLASS

As usual, on Saturdays I take pictures of what's going on in my class - mainly to provide photos for my teacher's website, but also for me to learn how to take pictures in BAD lighting!
Here's our oldest class member, Sally, who is 80, and HYSTERICAL.
...and our youngest member, Aubrie, who is 15... and of course, a gorgeous singer. But she's too nice to hate.Her mom and her grandfather take turns driving her to class, from Valencia (which is VERY far, even on a Saturday)!

126/365 - LONG BEACH AQUARIUM

What an amazing place. I FINALLY went as I had friends in town and realized, I don't need an excuse to go, I should just go. It's so close, and not that expensive.  I could watch the sea lions (among others) all day.

Can you believe this is a live creature??? A Leafy Sea Dragon.

Of course now I want to be a marine biologist.

To see all (151) the pictures taken there, click HERE.

125/365 - LIGHT (kinda)

Couldn't quite get the much brighter effect of the sunlight reflecting on these leaves SO brightly!

124/365 - LIGHT

123/365 - LIGHT. A new, bright, shining light.

122/365 - LIGHT

I couldn't decide.

121/365 - LIGHT

____________________________________________________________

But must add this, as I had a wonderful night the Ice House, in Pasadena, where I FINALLY got to see live, and then meet one of my all-time comedy heroes, Paula Poundstone.